According to a rapid progress of a computer technology, large-scaled numerical simulations such as a structural analysis, a heat conduction analysis, a fluid analysis, and an electromagnetic filed analysis are utilized in many industrial fields, and commercially available software arrangements and systems are growing, respectively.
It is important to correctly input appropriate physical property values, boundary conditions such as loads, and constraints, accurate shapes, etc. to secure reliability and accuracy of the simulations as indicated above. Generally, an analysis engineer executing the simulation works with these inputs individually with reference to data files, case files, etc. In particular, as for the physical property values, it is possible to obtain reliable data independent from analysts by referring to science chronologies, manuals, etc. for simple calculations as a linear analysis such as an elastic structure analysis, a steady heat condition analysis, a potential flow analysis, an electric field analysis. However, as for the problems associated with high nonlinearity such as an elastoplasticity analysis, a nonlinear heat conduction analysis, a turbulent analysis, a nonlinear electromagnetic filed analysis, and coupling analyses thereof, it may be difficult to obtain appropriate physical property value data. Therefore, there are cases in which to use different input data by each analyst. As a result, there may be problems that the reliability and the accuracy of the simulation are spoiled.
Further, in the case of a steel sheet for automobiles, one coil extends to several hundred meters, and plural material properties detailed data stretching the length thereof can provide an enormous quantity of data. Certain difficulties arise with managing these data for user's simulation while maintaining a confidentiality manually or by a simple database administration function at present when the steel sheet for automobiles are used by users for dozens of coils day by day.
A method to distribute a database with attaching to a simulation software can be provided to address the above-described problems. However, there are problems associated therewith, such as it is difficult to perform a maintenance such as an addition, modification, deletion of data as needed, and using compensations such as experimental expenses to obtain data can not be retrieved.
In addition, a method to provide material data via a network is described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-36277, and a method to provide information required for a structural analysis via a network is described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-167925. However, in the methods described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-36277 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2003-167925, a conversion and a modification of provided data are possible. Therefore, a source of data and a distinction with other data become ambiguous in accordance with a continuous usage. As a result, this may cause a deterioration of reliability of the simulation, and deterioration of confidentiality.